Author: megmorken

I’m sure many of you have wondered at the non-existence of our posts the past two and a half months- and maybe some of you didn’t even notice. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to sit down and explain why we disappeared, and more importantly, why. But I’m back, and finally ready to share what happened to our year-long adventure. The Year My Husband Dressed Me officially ended on June 20th, our anniversary. But that’s getting ahead of myself. Let me give you some background.

When Josh and I first contrived the idea last December to combine my love of writing with his need for an artistic outlet by creating this blog, we knew we were in for a wild ride, and venturing into totally uncharted territory. We also knew in sharing about our adventure, we were inviting our readers into our lives in a fun but somewhat exposing way. Exposing, because I knew I wanted to truthfully write about the joys, annoyances, hilarity and even mundane qualities about our day to day as Josh being my full-time stylist.

If you read some of our posts, you already know that the styling, photography, and blog writing was time consuming, and not always enjoyable. Whether it was huffing and moaning about having to wear a bizarre outfit, tripping down the stairs in five inch heels my non-heel wearing husband dressed me in, or having writers block the day I was supposed to post, our fashion adventure was often a (somewhat amusing) hot mess– to say the least.

You may also have read in my posts about our move, the miscarriage and subsequent grief, our job changes, and the craziness of my modeling schedule. I was blessed to have the opportunity to be authentic about the difficult parts of our life, and we were rewarded by feeling surrounded by a community of friends, family and readers who consistently responded with support, interest, and kind words.

But one important detail we didn’t know how to write about-nor wanted to write about- was how much we were struggling in our marriage. When we decided to go through with this year, we didn’t know, and couldn’t have foreseen, just how tumultuous the year would be for our marriage. It reached the point where I simply didn’t know how or what to write anymore. Authenticity was important to me; but how could I post pictures of me smiling and rocking an awesome outfit if moments before my husband and I had been walking in silence, weighed down by emotional disconnectedness and anger? Writing about some bad parts of your week can be refreshing and real. But what if every day is hard? What if the only time I smile at my husband is when he’s behind the camera? What if I start resenting my husband stylist because he has to spend the only hour we have together in the evening picking out my outfit? These questions weighed on me, and I spent weeks wrestling my desire to keep our year-long commitment and yet knowing without a doubt, things would have to change to heal our marriage.

It wasn’t all bad. In the midst of this, I must add that there were handfuls of days that Josh KILLED it on an outfit and/or multiple people would tell me how much they loved our blog, making me question my looming desire to pull the plug. Night after night, Josh would lay out my outfit for the next morning, and I kept my thoughts about our blog to myself. We pushed through, determined to enjoy the adventure that increasingly felt like our very own self-induced Circle of Hell. Until June 20th, that is. Our second wedding anniversary.

Have you ever experienced trying to celebrate something important while depressed, hurting, or angry? It’s not a cake walk. Josh and I desperately wanted to make the day special, which was going to be challenging seeing as we struggled to even make eye-contact. But one thing I had set my heart on was dressing myself for the day. For him. Josh was excited at the idea when I told him, but that excitement paled in comparison to how he looked at me when I stood in front of him, dressed in a pretty white outfit I had bought just for the occasion. He looked at me like he was falling in love with me all over again, and kept telling me how beautiful I looked. My heart SOARED.

Still, the day was bumpy (an understatement) and by the time the day of trying to enjoy various “fun” activities was over, we were emotionally exhausted and quiet. During our car ride home, I felt surer than ever that when we got back, the last thing I wanted was for Josh to have to pick my outfit out for the next day. All I wanted was to sit on our couch and talk without a care about photos, blog writing, scheduled posts, and accessories. In the silence of our car ride, I felt certain that it would be unwise for us to continue the blog. And as soon as I said so to Josh, he looked at me, and told me how much he missed being surprised and delighted by what I chose to wear every day. “It’s like living with my very own butterfly.”

So, six months into The Year My Husband Dressed Me, we quit. I must add that contrary to quite a few predictions, the blog didn’t cause our struggles. We heard some pretty hilarious (and ironic) comments about Josh being in charge of my wardrobe ending in divorce. Truthfully, there were many elements of Josh picking out my outfits every day that we both found ways to appreciate and enjoy:

It gave us an outlet for our creative passions.

Josh found some awesome clothing and accessories at thrift stores. I’m so lucky to have a husband who doesn’t mind-even likes-shopping with me and for me! I still stand by what I’ve said about some of my favorite accessories and statement pieces being ones that he found and bought for me.

As for me, I loved having a reason to sit down every week and do something I’ve always been passionate about: writing and story-telling. Unless I’m writing letters or journaling, it’s difficult to create a reason to write. Having a reason to write was not only invigorating, but it helped form a community of supporters when we hit tough times. I would not have felt the connectedness and support you gave to us, had I not first shared through my writing. To me, writing is synonymous with connectedness.

It made us proud of each other.

I don’t know how many people I annoyed by gushing about my sweet, talented husband/stylist. He impressed me so often, it was hard to keep my mouth shut. Not only did he learn how to style, accessorize and make each outfit different every day, he also started off having no idea how to take a good picture… and by the end of six months was taking pictures that are still featured on my Philly AND New York agency websites. And it wasn’t just his skill that made me proud. It was his attitude. Josh never complained, he consistently sacrificed personal downtime and sleep to pick out the next day’s outfit, and he never halfheartedly dressed me. He knew I had to wear his efforts the next day, and it mattered to him that I feel comfortable, confident, and dressed weather-appropriately.

I had way more reasons to be proud of Josh than he had to be proud of me, but there was something special about seeing him light up when I presented myself to him in the outfit he picked. Guys, my husband is so sweet. It was rare that his words to me weren’t complimentary. Beauty is a strange thing to be proud of, but if there’s anyone I want to see me as beautiful despite my flaws, it’s my husband.

It proved to us that we are, in fact, a good team.

Through good times and hard, through joy and suffering, through good outfits and embarrassing outfits… We were committed to working as a unit, asking for forgiveness when necessary (which was often), keeping each other accountable to our tasks, cheering each other on, and learning to take correction well. Also, it helped us realize how different our skills, talents and flaws are. It’s so amazing to be paired in life with someone who compliments you, imperfectly.

Lastly, it showed us that being authentic goes beyond sharing truthfully…

Being authentic also means being real with ourselves.

It was so freeing to admit to ourselves that we had reached our limit, and needed to step away from blogging. I have not regretted our decision since the day we made it, and I’m glad we prioritized the urgent needs of our relationship over this blog.

So, folks, this is our last post. I’m happy, elated, thrilled and over the moon to tell you that in the past two months, Josh and I have made a total 180 in our marriage. Josh still occasionally forgets he doesn’t have to dress me in the morning, and sometimes I look through our blog posts to find an old outfit because I’m still lazy about dressing myself. We spend lots of evenings watching The Office, Josh has picked up painting Lord of the Rings clay miniatures, and I donated three hefty bags of clothes to Goodwill. Our apartment is again clean and spacious (except for the tufts of fur our cat Calcifer has been leaving all over the place), I’ve enjoyed being more creative with my outfit choices when the mood strikes me, and Josh still beams at me when he likes and outfit I chose for myself. I think, just maybe, he has acquired a permanent appreciation for the all the years his wife will dress herself.

Thank you, thank you, for joining us in our adventure. It was wild, full of important lessons, and will never be repeated. Ever. Do not try this at home, kids.

Last week I signed a paper that has the potential to change life as I know it.

I’m grabbing my stylist, kissing my social life goodbye, and taking my modeling career to NYC! That paper was a contract with my dream agency… And let me tell you: I did not expect to walk out of their building that day as one of their models.

God is so good. I prayed for Him to swing open doors in NYC or shut them firmly, and it would appear He has given an unmistakable answer. Thank you for all of your sweet comments, support, and love!

But I have some even cooler news. When I told my new agent about this blog, his eyebrows shot up and he leaned in, his attention piqued. Originality speaks volumes. Models are a dime a dozen… But a straight male dressing his wife on his own accord? That’s something worth talking about.

And so we did.

The next day, I went on to their website and was SHOCKED to see some of our blog photos had made it on to my portfolio!

Besides the irony that neither of us credited Josh as being a decent photographer, I’m also simply thrilled that Josh seems to come with me where ever God leads me. He has become such a vital part of my modeling career– from styling my photo shoots, to dressing me for important interviews.

Speaking of photo shoots, Josh has his hands full dressing me every day AND functioning as my stylist for some upcoming photo shoots. Blessings on blessings on blessings on this man. He’s not once complained!

So this weekend, we headed to my favorite thrift shop, Uncle Funky’s, to do some treasure hunting. But let me back track. The idea to visit Uncle Funky’s actually started with a solo trip, when Josh secretly visited to find me a gift.

Meg had asked for this week’s outfits to have some “funk” to them. If your wife says to add some funk to her outfit, you take advantage of that opportunity. I was particularly inspired by one outfit I came home with as a surprise for Megan. I found those pants at Uncle Funky’s for only $12! I’ve wanted Meg to have some rad bell-bottoms for a while, so I was thrilled when I stumbled on this particular pair.

I was so surprised that he had made the special trip, and even more surprised that Nancy, dear friend and Queen of Uncle Funky’s, had gifted us the rest of the outfit! After a week of bright, creative outfits, returning to style the photo shoot was a no-brainer.

This place is brimming with good memories. Josh and I have been making visits here ever since we were in college together. This picture was taken in Nancy’s store all the way back in 2010! I bought Josh a sterling silver turquoise ring, which he wears to this day (and wore the year we were apart, too. I frequently checked to see if he had taken it off. He never did.) as well as the necklace and earring he’s wearing in this picture.

The first time I brushed through the beaded entrance of Nancy’s store was now over six years ago. When you walk through the doors, you’ll be warmly greeted by Nancy, who is usually accompanied by one or three shaggy poodles. If you’re looking for something in particular, Nancy knows where to find it. If you have a partial outfit picked out, Nancy’s quick to run to the back of the store, emerging with a piece of jewelry that perfectly finishes your look. And if you’re just browsing or feeling chatty, Nancy is there with a story, a listening ear, and a glass jar with a handwritten label reading: Prayer requests and praise. All of these are reasons why my Uncle Funky trips average 2 hours a visit. This past Saturday was no different, as Josh and Nancy had me try on dress after dress, at least 10 hats, and an assortment of gorgeous vintage jewelry.

Oh yeah, and assist me when I slowly suffocate in too-small vintage dresses. After they finished laughing at my expense, that is.

Thrift shops can be a dime a dozen (no I did not intentionally make that a joke about how cheap they are) but this one is special. It’s a treasure trove of vintage clothing and music memorabilia. For some reason it’s always reminded me of the pirate ship at the end of The Goonies. Don’t ask me why. Just go there and get yourself lost in its labyrinthine aisles of jewels, wigs, and bell bottoms. You’ll be lucky if you only leave with one or two bags. We visited on Saturday and we left with a hefty bag of loot.

We love you Nancy! Thanks for an amazing visit! We’ll be back soon.

2010 to present!

As far as the rest of the week’s outfits, it had rained so much, we left the job of photographing the outfits to the weekend in hopes of better weather. Alas, it was still drizzling.

This week, I didn’t make things TOO funky. Just hints, here and there, to add some pizzazz.I mainly focused on using unconventional pairings and fun colors… just small additions to give a fairly normal outfit a bit of flair.

How many of you lady readers grab a pair of shorts with a t-shirt as a warm weather go to? Most of you, am I right? There’s absolutely no problem with that. But, as a male observer who has begun to develop an interesting take on women’s fashion, let me propose to you an alternative: Jazz that “go-to” up with colored tights under your shorts (so European) and some cool shades. I realize this is a younger look; if I suggested this to my Mom-in-love, she would snort with laughter. But buying some cool shades works for any age.

We eventually moved things indoors.

These are the logistical parts of this blog that I don’t think I’ll miss when the year is over…

Skirts aren’t just for hot weather anymore. Try adding some jeans (especially boyfriend jeans as pictured) under the skirt and maybe a graphic tee. I was looking forward to adding the umbrella to the shot because, while practical, it’s also a cute prop for a funky outfit.

This one is special because it’s the outfit Meg wore to New York for her final interview and acceptance into her new modelling agency! Simple. Jeans and a sweater is far from being an outlandish combo– Hence the day-glow yellow shoes. They scream confidence.

To be honest, those shoes probably got me my agency signing by way of giving me exactly the kind of confidence you hoped they would. Thanks babe 😉

Well, that wraps up this week! After all this color and crazy, I’m thinking we need a neutrals week.

Hope you Mommas had a restful weekend! Thanks for reading, and as always, we’d love to hear which outfit was your favorite and any suggestions for future themes!

The other day, I called my Grandparents this week to catch up. My Grandpa answered, and after we talked for a few minutes, I overheard my Grandma at his shoulder asking insistently, “Who is it? Bill, who is it?” I had to chuckle, because my Grandma and I are both social butterflies- and we like to be in the know.

The whole week felt particularly lovely, but I couldn’t put a finger on why until after that phone conversation. And then I realized, oh. It’s because I spent it interacting with people. I’ve gotten more covetous of my time as I’ve grown up, but man oh man, I still have my Grandma in me. A good phone conversation or a summer evening walk with a friend will leave me chatty, bouncy and full of energy. Josh has said he can always tell when I’ve connected deeply or enjoyably with someone as soon as I walk through the door.

This week Josh decided on a touch of bohemia for the week’s outfits. This was partially by my request because I had a gnarly sunburn from being at the beach over the weekend, and anything that touched my skin was like flames from hell. Thank the good Lord for flowy dresses.

I’ve always loved Josh’s style. It seems to defy categorization, but there’s definitely a fair share of bohemian, mixed with homeless metal head. My sophomore year of college, he wore a certain orange t-shirt with a Native American Chief on it 6 out of 7 days of the week. All semester.

Picture proof.

He never cared about standing out. Still doesn’t.

Because his own taste involves mixing earth tones, layered jewelry and colorful patterns, I was eager to see which of my clothes he’d pair together. All in all, the set of outfits were easily enjoyable to throw on in the morning, with no complaining or huffing on my part. Which is not always the case.

That yellow, stained, incense saturated blanket has a special place in my heart. We’ve sat on it for many a picnic and outdoor concert, and laid under it on quite a few starry nights. I don’t think it’s been washed in years, but like a child’s blanket, I feel like cleaning it would wash out some of the magic and memories.

circa 2010

Our cousin and dear friend Clay came by to see our new pad and stayed for dinner- and an impromptu modeling shoot. He had a natural gift. If he wasn’t such a good friend, I would have felt totally intimidated by how naturally he commanded the shoot, whipping out pose after pose. I was left in the proverbial dust.

Blue Steel.Magnum.

Clay was one of the first guests we’ve had over since our move, and I’m already eager for more! The evening was full of laughter, catching up, and we were even party to Clay reading aloud from The Princess Bride. These are the kind of summer nights memories are made from.

Okay, technically it’s not summer yet. But we’re almost there!

That flowy elephant blouse is one of Josh’s own, and one I have many memories of him wearing.

Inclement weather kept us from shooting this outfit outside for very long. As far as I’m concerned, we’re probably not going to be capable of documenting every.single.outfit this year. My husband is dressing me, and sometimes that’s just going to have to be enough!

Pictures inside with my cat are more fun, anyway.

Calcifer didn’t look happy from either angle.

Oh, and P.S… If you happen to dig my sandals- which I wore with almost every outfit this week- they’ve from this magical leather store called Waltzing Matilda. We fell in love with this shop about two years ago, and simultaneously, it’s owner. Josh and I both have a pair of handmade leather sandals from his shop, and we’ve walked miles all over the country in them. I won’t go into detail about how awesome this place is or the quality of the products, but if you’ve visited me before, I’ve likely taken you to this shop- or at least told you to go yourself.

“Have a few nice things, but make them quality and hold on to them, and pass them down if you can. Because it’s a piece of who you are, where you went, what you saw, and all that you experienced.” – Mike, owner of Waltzing Matilda (on left)

We wrapped up the week with a few rainy days, but Josh’s outfits were so good, we ventured out to capture them, anyway. I can hardly believe we’re four months into the year! His styling and photography skills have really, really improved over time. It’s made the whole process so much more fun, leaving more time for creative thinking and dreaming.

I often wonder what will become of this blog and Josh’s newly acquired skills when the year is over. It’s unlike other projects, in that when the year is over, everything will just… end. Which I’m okay with on one hand! But part of me hopes we find a way to keep alive the spirit of being co-creators.

One idea has formed in my brain that I can’t quite seem to dislodge… But life changes so rapidly, and so little can be counted on in the future. That said, I am on my way to New York City again today, and may have some exciting news to share soon. Without giving too much away, wish me luck!

I’m curious… What Spring Fashion tips do you have for someone who’s sick of the floral everything trend? Asking for a friend.

You know how it is when you hear a new song on the radio and love it and then the radio station plays it every.five.minutes until you’re sick of it? That’s basically how I feel, but about floral prints. They’re pretty and whimsical, but I need some variety in my life, man. Also, sometimes I just wanna dress like Huckleberry Finn on a muddy, spring adventure. Flowers kind of kill that vibe for me.

With about a month of spring left, I’m desperate for spring fashion tips to pass on to my friend aka my (idea exhausted) stylist hubby. Usually, Josh sifts through what’s trending and then throws in his own flair, but he hasn’t had the time lately. So I’m asking you, lovelies: What are your favorite go-to looks for spring? Bonus: We’d love it if you sent us a picture of your completed look to share on next week’s blog post!

This week Josh styled me in a variety of looks, ranging from bohemian chic to urban sleek. The assortment was welcome and as usual, a few of the outfits received compliments. I still get weird looks when I respond, “Thanks! My husband dressed me.” Not that I blame them. Josh and I were jokingly blaming each other yesterday for agreeing to do this project. It is weird. But so are we 🙂

I didn’t loooove this outfit (or wearing it) but it’s hard to complain when Josh is giving 100% to just preparean outfit, period, let alone make it noteworthy. Most men dress themselves and that’s it (and they usually don’t give much thought to that, either). Sometimes I don’t like the outfit at all and I worry about being photographed in it, because it won’t be photogenic. But seriously, who cares? No one. So I try not to care, either.

Josh and I had a lovely walk around our town this day, and found a patch of purple wildflowers. Not sure what they’re called, but they cheered my spirit. It’s the little things.

He also took this, per my request. Five shots in, he lowered the camera and said, “Wait… These aren’t for the blog. You want these for Instagram!” Caught red handed. (In my defense, my Instagram is basically my resume; I’m always in need of new content.)

Back to fashion.

A FAQ we get is, “Don’t you run out of clothing options?” Our answer: Yep. Trying to create 365 unique outfits requires a massive amount of material. Our bedroom floor is almost always littered with clothing because my closets don’t even come close to holding all of my clothes anymore. It totally stresses me out!

That said, I’ve decided to organize one or two “The Year my Husband Dressed Me” yard sales/auctions this year to raise money for a non-profit organization. After this year, I might just consider doing a year of minimalist dressing! (As in quantity of clothing owned… Not wearing.)

I interrupt this photo stream to show you my husband’s latest creative venture…

He picked up this pelt at an antique store a month ago, telling me he wanted to sew it onto his vest. I couldn’t envision what he was planning… And when I saw the results, I loved it.

Breathtaking.

I made him promise me he would make one for me, next.

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been posting later and later in the week. We’re going on a month of not having internet in our apartment- not that I’m complaining! I’m getting used to my routine cafe trips to check my email, edit pictures and people watch. And I must say… Without the ability to scroll through social media, Josh and I spent more time present with each other and our surroundings. Even my cat has benefited from more chin tickles.

In a minute, I’m hitting the road for a girl’s weekend in North Carolina, complete with a suitcase of charmingoutfits. My husband is the bomb.com. And so are you. Have a productive, joyful, sunshine-infused weekend, friends!

p.s. I’m itching to post more reader submissions- I know I have super creative, stylish readers! If you care to share, we’d love to see your favorite spring outfits this week! (If you would prefer us not to post them, just let us know and we’ll totally honor that.)

A few weeks ago, I watched a foreign film about two girls who embark on a road trip to spread the ashes of their deceased friend, per his final request. Along the way, the girls watch video clips their friend had recorded as his cancer-stricken days came to an end. In one of these reflective home video clips, the friend confesses, “I thought I’d be really good at dying. Like, really good. But I’m not. I don’t want to die.”

Well, I thought I would be really good at grieving. Whatever that means. That’s not exactly how things played out. Surprise surprise. It looked less like, pray-and-shed-sad-but-knowing-tears,” and more like:

After my initial post three weeks ago, my thoughts and feelings about God’s grace and faithfulness, and experiencing peace in the midst of grief, rapidly unraveled. Like within 24 hours of posting. I won’t go into detail, but suffice to say that I had no desire to get out of bed, leave the house, or pray. Especially pray.

(I want to interject here and just say that this blog post does get happier. Like, there is actually a really good end to this story. Stay with me!)

In the midst of this, Josh and I moved. Thanks to help from my family, the actual moving part went smoothly. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) It could have been much worse, but we were already feeling the stress and exhaustion of the past weeks, so little things felt taxing, and big things (like feeling really depressed) felt crushing and permanent.

Thus, we took a step back. We took a break from blogging. We focused on healing, setting up our new home, and healing some broken parts in our marriage. I’m bummed that we won’t be able to say that Josh dressed me every day for a year. But ultimately, our lives and marriage are far from perfect. So neither is our blog.

Okay. Now, if I were still in the dumps, I probably wouldn’t have the energy to be writing this. So yes, you would be correct in assuming that I must be feeling better. Praise God. It’s so difficult to see the forest for the trees sometimes. With a big portion of our unpacking done and the return of my (mostly) cheery disposition, Josh and I have dived back into full blogging swing. We made a comeback just in time to take my summer clothes out of storage, which is one of my favorite ways to usher in warmer weather! See ya later, flannels. Hello linen and pasty white legs.

Shortly after Josh and I decided it was safe to return to our dressing and styling routine without killing ourselves or each other, we had to have a serious talk. The discussion revolved around the implications of pairing 5 inch heels with short shorts and fish net tights, which is what he had laid out for me as my first outfit. After some eyebrow wiggling on his part, he traded me for a pair of flats.

This fire escape right outside our door is one of my FAVORITE features of our new apartment. Besides enjoying my coffee out here every morning (weather permitting), Josh and I have shared a late Saturday brunch and a summery dinner together from our perch. It also gives us a great view of Main Street… And Main Street a view of us, in all our peculiar glory. Hi, neighbors!

This past Saturday, Josh and I took a walk around our neighborhood to meet some of our neighbors and explore some new photo shoot locations. One of our first stops was to visit the boutique that shares our building, Lily and Willow. Oh. My. Goodness. What a hidden gem! The owners, Jenny and Todd were so welcoming, interesting, and obviously talented. Well known in the area for their hand-carved wooden bottle stoppers and whimsical printed tiles, Josh and I quickly decided we like our new neighbors. Oh, and Jenny’s husband is a magician. So there’s that.

Our next stop was to visit the owners of the town’s flower shop and only other boutique, directly across from Lily and Willow and our apartment. I put on Josh’s Easter outfit for me to grab a picture in case we didn’t have time to take one the next day amidst church and egg hunts. When we dropped in to meet the owners, we discovered another Parkesburg secret gem… The owners keep their pet bunnies in the store. And I got to hold one.

I was so enamored with fluffy Celeste, that Josh and I went home seriously discussing the possibility of owning our own house-broken cottontail. EEK.

Speaking of our home, we have SO many huge windows. Having natural light filling our house for most of the day is absolutely glorious. It also makes for perfectpicture lighting. Which is important when you’re taking pictures almost every.day.

It’s also important because now that Josh is working away from home, taking photos for our blog is largely left up to me. We don’t own a tripod yet, so one has to get creative. Having ideal lighting frees up my time so I’m able to jurry rig setups like this one:

(also, it’s jurry rig, not jerry rig. I looked it up.)

My attempts at taking self-portraits were alright, but it definitely makes me a TON more grateful for Josh’s photography skills. Yes, babe, you read that right. You’ve come a long way in the past four months 🙂

We’re so grateful for the support you’ve all shown us through your prayers, comments and calls. It feels wonderful and restorative to be back on our feet and nesting in our new home. It amazes me how life can change so quickly and unexpectedly. We are fully immersed in this new season, and I think we’re going to love it. God is good.

Thanks for reading, dear ones! I surely missed writing and sharing with you about our adventures in fashion, marriage, and the roller coaster that is life. What do you think about Josh’s first attempts at dressing me for this gorgeous Spring weather? Let us know! As always, hearing from you is our favorite part of this blog. ❤

It’s Friday evening. Usually I don’t start writing until late Saturday night, and sometimes not until Sunday afternoon.

But I called out of all of my QVC shows for the day, and I have all the time in the world to sit and think and write. To consider how to write this week’s post, if at all. And to dwell on how peculiar life is, and how it is that God’s timing is perfect, but sometimes unfathomably so.

We’ve all been there: When the normal grind is suddenly disrupted by unexpected circumstances. When your hold on the future is gripped by the throat and shaken to the core. When you’re brought to your knees from the weight in your chest and refuse to get up until given answers.

Josh and I lived there this week. And in the midst of the chaos, no, he did not dress me.

I have no cute pictures of flouncy dresses to show you. No witty remarks about marriage or my husband stylist. I have no style advice to give you this week, because I spent it in sweatpants of my choosing and sweat-soaked t-shirts.

For the past three weeks, our little home has buzzed with joy and celebration following finding out I was pregnant. Three weeks crawled by as we anticipated entering the “safe zone” so we could tell our parents. We knew the chances of a miscarriage were higher than normal because I have PCOS, a hormone imbalance which can complicate getting and staying pregnant. We knew the risk but rejected fear, choosing instead to hope and pray.

In my heart, I believed God wanted me to keep the pregnancy to show the world that He’s bigger than statistics. I knew He was there when I told Josh angrily that “I would hate to get pregnant at this stage in our marriage”, referring to a rough patch in our marriage that we couldn’t seem to get past. And I know He delights in irony and grace and making beauty from ashes.

I cautiously reminded myself the same would be true were the outcome of the pregnancy a miscarriage. I’m reminding myself of that truth now, as I wonder how the pain of this loss fits into His plan.

This week, I was dressed in gray shades of uncertainty.

This week, Josh adorned me with the gentle, comfort of his touch and unshakable peace.

This week, the only picture I took was a picture of me laying hands on my womb, flat and aching.

This week, I dwelt upon the beauty of community, knowing Josh and I would be overwhelmed with support and prayers and words of encouragement for future children.

This week, I prayed- hard- for you mothers and fathers who have also experienced this kind of grief. I thought of the women who have strongly gone before me, fiercely pursuing wholeness and hope, like my own Mother. I, too.

And finally, this week, I held on to my husband. My best friend, my rock, and the father of my someday children.

I share this information from a place of total vulnerability that I know may come across to some as TMI. Not to mention that sharing personal, sensitive information on a platform as vast and unforgiving as the internet is super scary. But I share with a longing for all to know that God’s love is so huge and beautiful and his plan for you so perfect and intricate, that fear is pointless.

You probably didn’t expect to read such a heavy post today, nor be preached to. So if you made it to this point, thank you for taking a moment to sit with us. It is beautiful and comforting to feel surrounded and supported by loved ones and friends.

Next week is moving week. I’m not really sure how to transition from this week’s unexpected tumult, but somehow, life goes on. Sometimes before I’m ready, and at times with a substantial limp, but it goes. And that, my friends, is a reason to hope.

Love,

Meg

“Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God’s story never ends with ‘ashes.'” – Elisabeth Elliot

I vividly remember the first time I tried on skinny jeans. I was around 14 at the time, vehemently opposed to wearing any pants that didn’t cover all but the tips of my converse high tops. So when my Dad (fashion forward, as always) had me try on a pair of “cigarette” skinnies at the mall, I vehemently opposed him buying for me. I was disgusted. I wouldn’t be seen in them. For six more months that is, until it was obvious that all my friends were doing it. Ah, the fickleness of trends. We love to hate them, and we hate that we love them.

Anyway, the point of the story is that skinny jeans have been the go-to pant for years. And while I don’t foresee them ever not being a staple, when I went shopping this week, I noticed a large quantity of bell bottoms. Hello, childhood flash backs!

This week, we took requests from you, dear reader! Josh and I picked seven outfit requests and he went to town, aka Nordstrom Rack. Seriously would not have anticipated running through all my wardrobe options only three months in… And we have 9 months to go. Yikes.

DAY 1: “Could Josh find a way to make you rock your mom’s style? Can he come up with an outfit for you that your mom would potentially wear?” – Faith

This was such a brilliant suggestion. For those of you who don’t have the pleasure of knowing my Mom, she wins the “Most Cheerfully Dressed” award in my mind. She loves happy floral prints, funky earrings, and is almost always wearing a comfortable jean jumper. I had to smile when Faith sent this request!

I think her favorite color changes between blue, purple and pink depending on her mood, but when I think of my Mom, I think of pretty shades of blue.

I was also excited when someone suggested I create a look based on my mother-in-law’s wardrobe. The embroidered jacket is especially Mom in my opinion. We were even joking that she might already own this very suit jacket. Mom tends to wear a lot of denim and embraces a simple, whimsical look. I didn’t quite do her love of floral justice in this outfit, but the jacket is a nod in that direction.

We had the funkiest earrings picked out to honor you, Mom, and then I misplaced them. I might find them in time for your April birthday, but don’t count on it.

DAY 2: “All black, different textures. ALL black.” – Courtenay

So much yes! It’s difficult to capture the wealth of texture Josh managed to fit into this outfit, but let me tell you: he killed it on this one. And he made two versions of it, to boot!

… Where we live, the weather went from 70 or so degrees to full-throttle Snowpocolypse in about 24 hours. So to accommodate the wild weather fluctuations I made two different versions of the same outfit, one a little warmer than the other. The pants were silk smooth with wide flares, paired with a knit crop-top and a distressed blazer with frayed edges.

DAY 3: “Pair orange and grey together in an outfit.”

This was another outfit where Josh gave me two options: One more funky and one preppy.

A church friend of ours requested I do an outfit using mainly orange and grey. That was a totally new one for me so we had some fun. The first version of this theme is more of a skater/punk look. In an effort to avoid making Meg look like a literal orange, I decided to make grey the primary color and accent with orange. This was my first time using a body suit (the striped top under the gnarly leather jacket) and I loved the look.

I’m a sucker for matching accessories. I’m so glad Josh is, too. The orange accessories complimented each other so well. This look screams “playful.” Orange is a surprisingly becoming color to wear, too, if you get the shade right! It brings out the peachy tones in your cheeks and plays nicely with other colors.

The second version of this theme is more classy. I couldn’t wait to use these velcro shoes. They gave this classy second option some attitude.

So… Those velcro shoes were not my favorite. I thought they looked elderly and Josh thought they were awesome. Which is when it’s best for me to shrug and let the master do his work. But out of curiosity, who else is on the velcro band wagon with Josh? I think they might be coming back to the scene and I don’t know how I feel about that. However, let’s be real… If all my friends start wearing them… 😉

DAY 4: “I’d love to see how Josh styles the new wide trouser shorts trend!” – Regina

If you’re on the fence about throwing some culottes into your Spring/Summer wardrobe, let me assure you: if anything, they’re the ultimate comfort wear while simultaneously super classy. But that also depends entirely on how you style them. I’ve seen some stylists at QVC rocking jean culottes with vintage band shirts and long sweater vests, and also paired with a high neck lace top and suit jacket. You do you, girl!

To be honest, I didn’t even know what culottes were initially. They seem to be a mix between flowy and whimsical with formal wear…? I could see these being worn as an attractive work office outfit or for a day of city exploring. This look is more the former, I guess.

I could have foreseen my Dad suggesting this. In fact, whenever he picked clothes out for me growing up (and he was quite good at it. I’m a lucky girl!) he would often buy me shirts, scarves, and jewelry in beautiful shades of blue to compliment my eyes. They happen to be the exact same shade as his eye color, which is so special to me.

The lighting in this picture is pretty yellow, but that’s a light blue shirt. Ha.

Megan’s blue eyes are one of my favorite things in the world so when her Dad suggested I create an outfit that focused on complimenting her eyes, I knew just what to reach for: Icy blue. The outfit itself is fairly simple but I think it demonstrates a styling 101 tip: use your clothing to flatter your favorite attributes. If you’ve got something good going on, show it…. Within reason of course.

DAY 6: “I’d love to see an outfit made from entirely Josh’s wardrobe!” -Juliann

Uh oh.

Classic Josh outfit. Literally. All the clothes with the exception of the earrings and shoes are mine. Given the size difference between us, it was difficult to find options that worked well together. So to compensate, I tied one of my flannel shirts around Meg’s waist to add a slimming effect. It helped make it look a bit less like Meg was parading around wearing her husband’s clothes.

Can I just say that my-meaning Josh’s- pants put me in the running for plumber butt of the year. Thank goodness for slimming flannel shirt tricks that also hide such travesties. Thankfully I didn’t have work or too many errands to run this day.

Day 7: “Coordinate your outfits! Doesn’t have to be matching.” – Laura

Coordinating. I had to ask Megan what this actually meant. I didn’t know if we should be basically wearing the same thing or complimentary colors or what. Do married couples actually ever do this intentionally? Is it a thing other than at a wedding or something? I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite. It kinda felt like this:

Uh. So rude. I actually liked coordinating outfits with Josh.

Seriously, how could you not love this?! We look so cute together! Granted, Josh looks a bit pained.

He’s going to kill me when I tell him we’re eventually going to do a whole week of coordinating outfits in the name of this blog.

So, which reader suggestion was your favorite? If you missed your chance, don’t worry! You can always send us your outfit suggestions. Josh would probably be relieved to have any and all creative help during this crazy month. Which is actually why I’m giving him seven outfit prompts for this upcoming week. How he interprets my suggestions is entirely up to him, and knowing my husband, it’ll probably be far from what I had in mind. Should be interesting.

Oh my gosh. I am so PUMPED about this post. Last week, I challenged Josh to try his hand at styling me in this year’s hottest trends. He did some research, we did some shopping, and BOOM. My Spring wardrobe is on. fleek. (Do people still say that?)

Woo hoo I’m back on here! Meg has been so generous in her sharing of the writing. I’m not typically a person who watches for the latest trends in clothing- at all. But in my research for this blog I have inevitably started learning about things that are trending, and a few of them I’ve found surprisingly enjoyable.

This first one for example: ruffled sleeves. They make me laugh sometimes because they remind me of The Scarlet Pimpernell. Or Meatloaf’s wardrobe.

BUT… they can also be pretty, elegant, and feminine. Aside from that, pattern mixing is a huge trend this Spring, which is why I paired floral with stripes.

Ladies, if you’re looking for a shoe staple for the transitory weather (too cold for peep toes, too close to spring for riding boots), a block heel ankle boot is a fantastic staple. Pairing them with a spring dress or cuffed boyfriend jeans is one of my favorite Spring looks, and I’ve been fortunate enough that Josh has picked up on that trend! We use the ones I’m wearing in this outfit all the time. They go with everything.

I’m obsessed with the stripes and floral pairing! Everything about this outfit worked for me. I was a happy lady.

Wow. Super pose-y. Sorry. Sometimes when we take pictures, I forget that I’m not at QVC and feel the urge to pick up an empty tea cup as a prop…

Haha. Yeah, I didn’t tell her to do that. Next up we see the ever-so-popular shoulder cut-out shirt. It’s fairly common to see women wear off the shoulder shirts that leave collarbone and both shoulders exposed, but the shoulder cut-out leaves more to the imagination, as they say. It’s playful AND it’s warmer. Megan likes warm.

Another great Spring shoe staple: Peep toe ankle boots. My darling sister-in-law brought these beauties to me from Urban, where she works. We have this symbiotic relationship where I bring her quality makeup from QVC sample sales, and she brings me bags of jeans and shoes. All the cute jeans and overalls you see me in on this blog? All from my girl. I’m so grateful we speak the same love language. 😉

I love the peeping shoulder trend! I think it’s attractive on any body type, making it an easy piece to wear and pull off. Shoulders are such a graceful part of the body.

Denim on denim has been trending for a while now, and it’s continuing its life well into spring and summer 2017. I’ve always thought it was a cool look, and apparently that sentiment is fashion-approved again.

Josh didn’t just nail the denim on denim trend. If you haven’t noticed, fringe detail on jeans is a trend that’s coming in hot. I thought this skirt was such a hilarious find because it reminds me of an updated version of some of the skirts I saw worn at my home school co-op in Lancaster County. Mind you, they were never paired with a crop top…

The high waist, fringe and crop-top combo gives off a hipster/vintage vibe. Throw a felt sun hat into the mixture, and you’ve got yourself a head turning outfit. My boy rocked this one! I think it’s my favorite of the week.

One of my favorite fashion finds is the concept of color blocking. I talked about it a few weeks back with Meg’s red and jean outfit, and I wanted to do it again this week. I haven’t seen too many people try it, but I’d encourage you to experiment with it. It’s bright (sometimes offensively neon) and lively and so fun. Choose one to three several bright colored clothing pieces and stack them on top of each other. Blending? Ha. Neutrals? Forget about it. This trend is all about making a statement and standing out.

I love blue and yellow color blocking. Such a cheerful combination. I received so many compliments on this dress when I went into work. The material brings a lot of interest to the outfit: it has the look of a woven rug and has a decent weight to it. But it also stretches, giving the look of a modest but sexy bodycon dress .

The overall trend: great for a man working in a field but even better (and more attractive) on a woman. They’re a nod to the “utility” pieces which we saw on the runway during Fashion Week. But they can also be styled to give off a more feminine, cute, girl-next-door feel. I accessorized with a big floral scarf to give it a pop. I loved this femme-friendly, practical outfit and thought it looked great on my wife.

I agree, this outfit was so cute! Myy only stipulation was that it was too cute… I still associate overalls with being a 12 year old tomboy, running around barefoot in Lancaster County farm fields. But that’s a pretty happy association. I love seeing other women rock overalls, but I haven’t totally re-accepted them into my life. I’m on the fence, unless I have a hand shovel and gardening gloves on.

This week was a lot of floral. To throw some staple grunge into the mix, I put Meg in an off-the-shoulder baggy sweatshirt. This look falls into the same category as the ever popular over-sized coats, jackets, and cardigans that have been trending. I achieved this look by dressing Meg in one of my sweaters, but unbuttoning the front and having the neck fit around her shoulders, instead. The baggy sweater with slouched shoulders creates a casual, skater/boho look that shows just enough skin to be feminine and attractive but without having to wear anything too form fitting or revealing.

I loved this look, too. (And yeah, I was ready for a break from floral, too.) Especially paired with these big hoops, light wash jeans, and one of my staple beanies. Such a good look for the weekend! I could also see this paired with a choker. 10/10 for trendiness.

Last but not least, I knew this trend would make my often-cold wife smile with joy. That is not a scarf adorning her shoulders… That’s a throw blanket. Draped over the shoulders and cinched with a belt, a throw blanket can easily substitute for a chunky scarf, vest, or shawl. I’m sure this look wouldn’t go with just any throw blanket, but we happened to own one that laid neatly.

Style is all about creativity! And my husband happens to be one of the most creative souls I know, so it is no wonder he’s able to do this blog with me, and do it well. I love that he can come up with the zaniest outfits on his own and glean the best trends in the fashion world. Which outfit was your favorite? I would love to know!

Last week, we offered to you the opportunity to submit your own suggestions for a theme for a day of this upcoming week. We received quite a few creative themes. So stay tuned, ’cause if you’re one of those people, get ready for a shout out on next week’s blog post!

As always, much love to our readers, who inspire us to tackle each day with creativity and patience! Your readership keeps us going strong.

Guys. I don’t even know where to start explaining how crazy this week has felt. As I’m writing this, our apartment is in a record-taking state of dishevelment (I had a dream about tornadoes ripping through my house last night. The symbolism is not lost on me.) and Josh and I are both sporting dark circles and oatmeal-y brains. The worst part is that this is week one out of four weeks we anticipate looking like this.

If you’ve been following our journey the past few weeks, you know Josh is taking a new job and temporarily living in my parents’ basement to ease the commute. We’re also preparing for a move, leaving little time for extra-curricular activities like blogging. Or sleeping.

For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you might have seen my post about modeling for a QVC show in LA! On Sunday night, Josh had to work double-time to pack for my LA trip and prepare himself for his first day on the job.

He made sure I was comfy for the plane ride… But those aren’t any ordinary yoga/sweat pants. Those are our other Joan Shepp purchase: Leather harem pants.

I had never been to LA before, so my debut trip was very exciting for me. The QVC show was set up as a post-Oscars “Red Carpet Beauty” show. Basically, I sat at a rooftop bar and fake conversed with other models for two hours in 50 degree weather. So much for the California heat I’d been dreaming about.

I did manage to enjoy wearing shorts on my second day in lala land! Note the color difference between my legs and my stomach… Yikes. #selftannerwoes

The trip was over in a blink. In total, we only there for about 30 hours. Josh’s last outfit was also super airport comfy-chic, and I received a few compliments on my willingness to opt out of the traditional lounge wear. The funny thing is, I was actually super comfortable in this outfit, too. So it was a win-win.

My Urban Southern bag was a gift from the US team at NYC fashion week. It’s the perfect airport accessory because it easily fits my laptop and cord, and a magazine and snacks perfectly. I know I’ve said it before, but you should totally check out their site. For the quality and style, it’s extremely affordable.

When I returned home, this super cute outfit was waiting for me. I loved Josh’s rendition of the over-sized sweater (again, his… this is becoming a thing!) with the suede ankle booties and flirty head wrap. I’ve noticed his love of pattern-play, and honestly, he’s quite good at it! I look like I have a tree growing out of my head in this picture, but it gets the point across and one can’t be too picky.

Okay. Now time for a serious confession.

Josh drove from Lancaster Wednesday night to welcome me home and discuss his first days on the new job. I myself was pretty sleep-deprived, but Josh was tired and sore. He had spent the week doing demolition on a house that had been ripped apart by a local storm, putting up drywall, and adjusting to waking up four hours earlier than usual. He didn’t complain once- in fact, he was pretty happy about the change- but I could tell he was beat.

We sat on the couch and talked about our vastly different weeks, our plans for packing, and caught up on how each other was doing emotionally and spiritually. We got ready for bed. At this point, I realized Josh needed to plan my outfits before leaving for Lancaster the next morning for the rest of the week. He would have to leave by 5:30 am, and it was already 11 pm.

As I looked at my worn out husband, I contemplated: Do I mention his need to plan two days’ worth of outfits? I imagined how his face would fall, and then how he would inevitably take a breath, nod, and cheerfully do his task.

It made me sad to think that doing this blog would take precedence over Josh’s sleep and well-being.

So I stayed quiet, and we went to bed exhausted.

The confession is that my husband didn’t dress me on Friday or Saturday. But the truth is, I don’t regret making that decision. Our marriage and health should always come before this blog, and as crazy as it sounds, it can be difficult to remember that when we’re trying to successfully commit to 365 days of unique outfits.

Deep breath. I know it’s not the end of the world, but it feels like a blow to my pride to “break” the rules of this blog adventure! We decided to compensate by styling the missing outfits, even though I didn’t wear them on the intended days. My only other qualm was that I didn’t get to show them off!!

This outfit had a retro/hip-hop vibe to me. We tried to get some shots of me jumping and dancing, etc. The results were hilarious.

And this number… Well, let’s just say it raised a few eyebrows.

I don’t even know what to call that ensemble. Freaky-deaky. But I kind of like it.

If you like following our blog, you might also like influencing what shows up on here! This week, privately submit an outfit idea or theme (via private message on fb, texting, calling, you name it… Just keep it a secret!) and at the end of the week, we’ll draw seven suggestions for the following week.

I pray you, be kind to me.

What outfit is your favorite from this week? Let us know!

See you next week for a selection of Josh’s favorite hottest trends of Spring 2017!

Hello, hello! This week we’re conducting a little interview with Josh covering all things fashion, personal taste, and an attempt at our first themed week.

The unseasonably warm weather had us yearning for budding trees, bare foot strolls, and naps in the sunshine. So we started the week by heading to Longwood Gardens! It was Josh’s first time, and my nature lover thought he had died and gone to horticulture heaven! He instantly grabbed the camera and started snapping pictures of the stunning colors, shapes, and bizarre plants… Only to find out, as many photographers do, that capturing nature is one of the most frustrating photography experiences one can have. It’s pretty hard to capture the splendor of God’s handiwork with a middle-of-the-line Canon T3.

But we still had fun trying.

I also had fun blending in with my surroundings… Like a flower ninja.

But the best part…

… My Balenciaga leather sneaks which are NEON YELLOW. As you can (blindingly) see.

These were one of my Joan Shepp purchases from last week, and I’m pretty sure I might wear them to my grave I love them so much.

So, after this garden trip, the rest of the week was fairly boring. So, in leau of having very little to write about, I’m calling in Josh for a brief interview… After I get a glass of wine.

Hi, thanks for joining me. Pleasure to have your company on this fine night. So, Josh. What single word describes your style?

Thank you for having me! It’s an honor just to be in your presence. My style? Oh boy… one word?? Lively.

How do you think other people would describe your style, say, in college?

In college I was “That guy that’s always barefoot and has a bone in his ear.” I think in general I kind of looked like a street urchin mixed with a tree hugger. Lots of color, layers, and jewelry. Typically unclean… much to the chagrin of my roommates.

And whilst we’re on the subject of your style, where do you get inspiration?

A few places I suppose. Nature is one of them. I love clothing and outfits that remind me of either creatures in nature (birds, beetles, moss) or specific locations with extreme natural beauty like Moab, UT. Another “inspiration” of mine would probably be different people groups throughout history. Examples would be European gypsies, Mayans, and Native Americans.

What tip would you give to anyone looking to improve their personal style?

To start? Just let go. Sit in front of your closet and forget the “rules” of what is normal or “fashionable.” Let yourself be creative and make weird combinations of clothes just because you like the way it looks or feels. Because of this blog I have had to do a lot of research to figure out what types of style there is out there. People wear some WEIRD stuff. And it seems like those “weird” things are often what end up coming into style eventually. So… go out on a limb and make something that’s yours!

Are there any styles or eras of fashion you’ve wanted to replicate, but haven’t had the inspiration or resources?

Oh probably more than I can think of right now. I ought to start writing them down. One that immediately comes to mind is the 1920’s flapper look. You know… sequin dress, fancy hat, bright red lipstick, and elbow length gloves. I would have to find the right pieces to make sure it didn’t just look like a Halloween costume but I think it’s a great, sassy/elegant, look.

What three outfits have you been the most proud of?

I love the outfit with the camo pants and leather vest. I liked that it mixed masculine and feminine attributes (the baggy pants along with the heels). I wanted to create an outfit that combined leather, denim and camo, and this is what I came up with. I also love the outfit that had the blue patterned vest over the blue striped pants with the floppy brown hat. I liked the different patterns on that one. I worried that the vertical stripes paired with the southwestern pattern would be too busy, but I think they matched well together. And I’m partial to the outfit when I combined my Mom’s oriental robe with the black beret and fur collar. Obvious sentimental reasons there but I also thought it looked dang good on her.

What’s your least favorite part of this blog, and why?

HA. Taking the pictures. I have ZERO experience with photography and, now that Megan works around great photographers for a living, she knows what constitutes a great picture and I am just working as fast as I can to catch up. I’m not fast enough. This leads to a lot of frustration from both of us. The pictures we put on here are decent though, right (please say yes)? But for each one of these there are 50 or more that had to be discarded.

At the start of this week, we decided to try having a theme. In your words, how would you describe the overarching theme?

Wonder of wonders! Over 70 degrees outside in February? That sure screamed “Spring” to us. Because of the glorious weather and the fact that I am starting a new job tomorrow (and we’re moving next month, etc.) we decided on a “Spring” theme. We recognize that we are moving into a new season (literally and figuratively) and we are very grateful for the change. We believe it will breathe new life into our relationship and our every day existence. Kind of like how the flowers push up through the frost. I tried to capture some of that imagery and feeling in this week’s outfits by emphasizing floral prints and bright colors. Two of the more neutral colored outfits have very intentional splashes of color in them which, in my mind, was a nod to life springing out of the clutches of winter.

Sounds cool, but follow through was kind of tough for you… Want to elaborate on that?

Yeah it was stinking hard some days. First of all, Megan and I had different ideas about what qualifies something as “spring” from a clothing perspective. I didn’t actually sit down and clearly define what dressing for a spring theme looked like. Because my thoughts on spring were so abstract there was a lot of frustration. I would have an idea for an outfit that I really liked only to have Megan point out that it would work great if only it were being worn on a bleak January morning… or on a boardwalk in August.

If you could have access to any (male) person’s wardrobe, who would it be?

For my own use? Keith Richards. Or Johnny Depp. Or Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad.

And finally, what skills or uses do you think this blog will lend you after the year is over?

I think it’s going to help me keep my creative juices flowing, out of habit. It’s also teaching me how to be a better photographer. I also truly believe this project is and will strengthen our marital bond (via grace, patience, persistence) in a way we didn’t expect. Plus, it’ll be wild to share this unique project with our children and prove to them that we weren’t always so lame.

We love you, readers! Thanks for your comments, and feel free to share our post. We’d love to grow our audience. Makes it more fun for us 🙂

Tune in next week for Josh dressing me for a brief trip to LA! Sunshine and shorts, here I come. (After I shave.)

A home can carry as many memories, security and familiarity as a person- as can a city. If you’ve ever had to say goodbye to a place you’ve loved dearly, you can relate to the painful nostalgia that comes with such a departing. In a month, Josh and I will be parting from both our little apartment and what has become one of our favorite cities: The City of Brotherly Love. Good old Philadelphia.

This is bitter sweet. The move is stemming from a job change for Josh (yay!) which has us relocating to the small town of Parkesburg, PA (tears and gnashing of teeth). We’ve already found a lovely apartment complete with wood floors and tons of natural light. To top that, we discovered we’re in walking distance from Victory Brewing (YASSS) and we can keep all of our pets! God is good.

To commemorate the move, we headed to the city to shoot the weeks’ set of outfits. But the primary reason we went was to visit a very special boutique… And one eclectic designer.

I was first introduced to the world of high-fashion through Joan Shepp and her boutique. It started with an opportunity to model a private runway show at the boutique. When an opportunity for a second show came around, I knew I had to bring Josh. As much as I had begun developing a deep appreciation for fashion, I knew Josh would love the wide selection of avant-garde designer items even more.

Long story short, when Josh arrived separately, he was greeted by Joan Shepp herself. Unaware that Josh was my husband, she greeted him warmly and asked: “How long have you been in the fashion industry?” After Josh told her he wasn’t, she responded by saying, “Only an artist would wear that,” pointing to the scarf tied around his waist.

When Josh recounted this interaction to me later that evening, I tucked Joan’s compliment away for future use. I knew Josh had style, but apparently, so did a iconic fashion designer.

Joan Shepp and Joshua

Josh has a deep fear of losing his underutilized creative gifts. Working from home has meant a staple of gym shorts and a band shirt as opposed to the costumes he so frequently wore during our college years. Our limited living space kept him from playing his beloved drum set, and work-related apathy stood in the way of the usual joy he took in exploring other art forms.

As much as I would encourage Josh to pursue any form of expression to get his creative juices flowing, he was truly in a rut. Joan’s compliment affirmed what I knew to be true: Josh couldn’t stop being an artist even if he wanted to. And gosh darn it, I was going to find a way to make our own outlet.

This blog has provided just that. So, to come full circle, two months into our creative venture, we headed to Philly to say a fond farewell, thank the designer who saw Josh as the creative soul he is… and to do some shopping.

My QVC model friend, Ade (the woman who introduced me to Joan), joined us and definitely had an influence on our favorite buy of the day. Josh insists I can’t show you, because he’s saving it for a specific outfit. So these are just some shots of the outfits we might have bought had my store credit been a bit beefier.

Style icon and friend, @adejaiye

I cannot wait to show you what we purchased! But I (begrudgingly) must submit to Josh’s timing. If it were my choice, I would wear the contents of that bag for the next two months straight. Which is why it’s good that it’s not up to me.

We’ve had a few people ask to hear from Josh more often about the outfits he’s picked for me, so I’m handing him the mic, metaphorically speaking. Enjoy!

Wow. So this is what it’s like to write on our blog huh? Yikes. I’m a bit daunted right now to tell you the truth. And yet… I’m suddenly filled with an unmistakable surge of power. FEAR ME! Just kidding… But that IS what I say to Megan every day as she puts on the day’s outfit that she has no choice but to wear. I am Caesar as far as the closet is concerned.

So this little number above? To be honest, I don’t have too much of an explanation for it. It has the flowy skirt, gypsy-ish belt, and the cool, heavy, necklace of a common hippie/bohemian look. But it’s also more winterized and form fitting then some boho outfits. Also I wanted the purple/mustard combo.

The following outfit is brought to you by New York City Fashion Week. I was inspired by the classy street-style I saw when we were there and I wanted to give it a shot. What do you think, eh? I love these pants on Megan, but since they’re wide-fitting, I wanted to make sure she had a more formfitting top. Gold and white belt? To match the gold chain mail necklace of course.

Have you heard of color blocking? If not, you should definitely look into it to add some funk to your style. It can be beautiful, wild, and fun all at once. This outfit was meant to be a baby step in that direction. Denim on denim is already cool by itself but then why not add a blast of firetruck red?

Okay I hate to toot my own horn here but… look at this shot. “But wait, I thought Josh was a pretty inadequate photographer” you say? Well… Josh is blossoming.

These last two outfits are my favorites from this week. This next outfit I called “western boho.” I loved how simple it was and yet how stunningly she pulled it off. I feel like she needs a six shooter on her hip though. Next time…

I have a pair of baggy camo pants that Meg’s brother gave me and I was determined to make them work on her. So what do you pair with camo? Denim and leather, baby. It helped that the two jackets were tight because that offset the baggy pantaloons. And the studded heels? Uh… everyone knows that baggy pants with heels is babeilicious.

*Drops the mic*

Well, well. Josh might have to take this over more often.

The changes coming down the pike will definitely effect how we approach this blog. I have no idea what that will look like, but Josh will be working longer hours, and we won’t be seeing as much of each other as we have this past year. Improvise, adapt, and overcome!

As we reflect on the move, this blog, and our shared love of creating together, I cannot help but believe that it is all by design. I’m grateful for a Creator who’s plans are bigger, better, and so, so intricate.

That’s all for now folks! Thanks for reading, and tune in next week for who knows what. We don’t really plan ahead.